


Played for a Fool

by chiefenjolras



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Kings AU, Mad King Ryan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-21
Updated: 2014-09-21
Packaged: 2018-02-18 05:26:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2336813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chiefenjolras/pseuds/chiefenjolras
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Mad King Ryan has one more challenge for his knights -- to hunt down his prized bull Edgar. The youngest of the knights and previously a fool, Gavin Free, takes it upon himself to try and win this final challenge. He may find out that the Mad King is more mad than he ever anticipated.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Played for a Fool

 

The five knights stood at the entrance to the maze, keeping their gazes low to the floor as the Mad King paced around them like a shark.

“Everything that you have just done up until now is now pointless. This is your final challenge.”

Gavin raised his head slightly, but dared not look the king in the face, “What? You mean everyone still has a chance?” When Ryan stopped in front of him he quickly lowered his head again, planting his right arm across his chest, the hand curling into a fist inside his creeper skin cloak.

Ryan’s fingers snatched the corners of Gavin’s chin and lifted his face up. He observed the face of the foolish knight, eyes narrowing in search of a jest. When he was satisfied the king released the green knight and patted the top of his head.

“Yes, Gavin, everybody still has a chance.” He stepped away from them and looked toward the maze. “For my final task I require you to find and kill Edgar. He is armored and traversing the maze. In the maze you may find chests with various items to help you. Once you kill Edgar, burn his corpse and you will be rewarded justly.”

The gate to the maze rose up, creaking gently as it scraped against the obsidian walls. Ryan let out a soft laugh and unsheathed his sword, sticking it into the ground in front of him and resting his hand on top of the hilt. “Go.”

At once the five knights shuffled into the entrance, bare and defenseless apart from the clothes on their backs. They set on grimly in the dark, not looking back even as the gate creaked close behind them.

“Well, good luck lads, hopefully I’ll see you all on the other side.” Gavin muttered, tossing the creeper hood over his head and ducking into another hallway in the maze. He heard the others mutter to him and themselves but their voices were soon lost in the oppressive silence of the towers of obsidian.

The fool-turned-knight shivered in the dank light of dripping torches letting his fingers trail along the smooth walls. Edgar was the prized bull of the King, why would they be required to hunt him down? Did Ryan hope that they would all be gored and that there would be no victor or was he trying to prove a point?

Gavin heard a low wail that echoed through the walls and he pressed himself against the obsidian, hands grasping at a sword he did not have. “Damn.” He peered around the corner to see a hulking shadow that was not man splash against the end of the hallway. It was no use taking on the beast if he had nothing to protect himself. In the confined hallways of the maze and the ground slick underfoot his quick reflexes would do him no good. He had to either rely on luck or surprise to win the round. Gavin frowned to himself, glancing back at the shadow before skittering down the opposite hall.

-

He had no way to tell what time it was but he had not stopped moving once and his body ached fiercely. He could feel a dull chill settling into his skin, and swiped a hand across his nose that threatened to drip. “Bugger all.” He whispered to himself and leaned against a corner wall, slipping down till he found himself a seat. Gavin rested his chin in his hands and his eyes were beginning to droop until he realized that he was not sitting on the floor. He jerked up, his hands slapping down below him, hitting a wooden trunk with a dull thud. “Oh, that is top.” He whispered in excitement as he flipped the latch and opened it up. He pulled out multiple items but couldn’t see them until he had closed the trunk and brought a torch over. 

Lodging the torch between the wall and trunk Gavin picked up the largest of the items. It was a piece of armor, light in weight but thick. As his fingers traced patterns over the chest piece he brought it closer to the torch and gasped as it shattered into a light blue kaleidoscope of colors against the wall. It was chainmail and it was made out of millions of tiny diamonds. Gavin quickly shed his cloak and wormed his way into the diamond armor. Each shoulder his a solid diamond epaulet on it and he could feel similar bits of solid diamond lining the spine of the armor and against the back of his neck to protect against a killing blow. He tied his cloak back on over it. The other pieces in the trunk were of similar design. Along with the chainmail he found trousers, boots and a helmet. Gavin donned all of it with the exception of the helm, which he kept at his side. The last thing he picked up was a diamond sword. The blade was a solid blue that shimmered in the light and the hilt was some kind of white material that seemed to mold under his hand as if he had trained steadily with it for years. The knight chuckled to himself at his luck and sheathed the sword. He had that predicament out of the way, now it was time for the real challenge.

Gavin had headed back the way he came and found himself at the area where he had first seen Edgar. Taking a deep breath and grasping the hilt the young knight headed down the hall. After a few twists and turns he realized that he was following a thin trail of blood. That was when he heard Edgar wail and a thinner but more ragged cry sound after it. Gavin broke into a light sprint, treading lightly, so he didn’t slip. As he drew closer he could hear Edgar’s hooves growing quiet as he treaded away, and a thin crying. Gavin spit into the corner, trying to get a bad taste out of his mouth. “’Ello?” He called out quietly. He grabbed a torch off the black wall and held it in front of himself, frowning as he saw a shadow that was not his own growing in front of him. He stopped a few feet away from a figure that was collapsed in a heap in the corner. “’Ello?” He asked again.

The figure groaned aloud and a hand snaked out from under a dirty white cloak. The moment Gavin noted the pale skin inked with dark runes he rushed forward, falling to his knees next to the man. “Geoff.” He breathed out, taking the shuddering hand. “Geoff, what happened?” Gavin shoved the cloak away from the face of the first king and set the torch beside them. Gavin helped Geoff sit up against the wall and brushed the dark plastered hair away from Geoff’s forehead.

“I ran into him. I wasn’t prepared. Foolish, but I didn’t have time to get away unnoticed.” Geoff choked out. He let go of Gavin’s hand and clutched his abdomen, when his hands came away they were bloody. “Damn beast has sharp horns.” He smiled crookedly at Gavin and nodded. “I’ll live, buddy, go find him and put an end to this.” Geoff unhooked the cloak from around his throat and gathered it against his stomach.

Gavin looked at him unsteadily for a moment before nodding. “Okay, Geoff. I’ll want to see you after this, so don’t bloody die on me.” He winked at the first king and started down the path. Geoff’s voice made him stop.

“Gavin…” Geoff muttered. “Where did Kerry go?” He sighed tiredly, closed his eyes and bowed his head. Gavin frowned and walked away.

-

The more he thought about it the more that Geoff’s parting words bothered him. Kerry had been unwaveringly loyal to the king but Geoff was right. Kerry had vanished after Ray had won the final golden block. It seemed unlikely that Ryan would simply rid himself of Kerry for he had so few people on his side. Gavin had found himself so deep in thought that he had at first failed to notice the sound of hooves growing louder. Only when he heard a heavy snort did he stop and see the shadow of Edgar on the wall right in front of him, down the adjoining hallway.

Gavin unsheathed his sword and turned the corner to confront the beast. An uncontrollable tremor shuddered through his limbs when his vision soaked in the bull. A small squeak burst forth from his mouth and he immediately clapped a hand over his traitor mouth. Edgar’s head swung around to face him, eyes gleaming in the torchlight. The beast let out a mighty growl, the trumpeting sounds painfully loud in the confined area. Gavin swung his sword in front of his body, steeling his stance as Edgar slammed his hooves on the floor and charged. Gavin wailed in response, fear sending his heart into a painful hammer. His diamond boots provided good traction against the wet floor and he bolted forward to meet the monster. For those few precious seconds that made up the calm before the storm Gavin could hear nothing but the thundering of his own blood and Geoff’s voice echoing in his head.

_Where did Kerry go?_

Gavin dropped his body to the floor as Edgar stampeded inches in front of him. Gavin could feel the warm stink of the beast as he slid under the bull and thrust his blade up. Diamond cut through layers of skin, fat, muscle and sinew. The forward exertion of the animal tore it’s own belly in half, dumping gouts of blood on the body of the young knight. The bull wailed in pain as it slammed against the wall, hooves clattering uselessly against the floor, blood continuing to heave from its gut. Gavin stood shaking, slipping slightly on the blood on the floor. He shed his drenched creeper cloak and teetered forward. “I’m sorry, Edgar.”

The beast wailed again, it’s cries sounding almost human to him. Gavin dropped his sword, switched it for a torch, and kneeled down by the bull. Up close and still it was even more terrifying than he had ever noticed. What had Ryan bulked the beast up with? It was massive and muscled. Ryan was right, Edgar was armored but not like Gavin had ever imagined. Diamond had literally been infused with the creature. It’s horns and hooves were a color blue similar to his sword. His fingers traced the diamonds structures, shards of the stone protruding from its skin like barbs.

The beast moaned feebly and again Gavin was surprised by how humanlike it sounded. Gavin moved around to the head of the beast and peered at it, bringing the torch closer to its face. The mouth of the bull was caught partly open as it gasped, blood and drool pooling from its mouth. Edgar tried to lift his head, but blood was drenched in his sandy mane and he could do no more than shift it. Gavin was prepared to back away but paused when the fire caught the reflection in the creature’s eyes. For some deformed monster he found the eyes so humanlike, it was hard to look away.

“Ga….n.”

The fool recoiled back, nearly dropping and extinguishing the torch. “You’re only a stupid bull, why won’t you die?” He grimaced and turned away.

Edgar growled, hooves kicking against the floor.

“Ga…..v…n.”

Edgar thrashed against the floor.

“Ga…vi…n.”

_Where did Kerry go?_

Gavin swung around and clutched the bull’s massive head in between his lanky, blood drenched hands.

“Love, oh no, love. I’m so sorry.” He bent forward pressing his head against the beast’s head. “What has Ryan done to you? I’m so sorry, Kerry.” The young fool choked back tears, his fingers tangling in the mane of the bull.

“Ga…vin.”

The body of the bull relaxed under his fingers and Gavin stood up. He swiped at his eyes and began to shed the diamond armor. Each piece of armor he laid by the torn stomach of the bull and the diamond sword was placed on the corpse.

Swallowing the lump in his throat Gavin dropped the torch and watched the flames lap at the mistreated and deformed creature. He turned away from the flames and picked up the blood stiffened creeper cloak off the ground.

 -

“The young fool has proved me wrong. He has slain my most prized beast and come back to me, unscathed.” Ryan laughed and ruffled the blood-spattered hair of the knight kneeling in front of him. “If I may be frank, you were the last person I expected to prevail, but nonetheless, you have proved yourself worthy.”

Gavin bowed his head, “Worthy of what, my king?”

“That remains to be seen, my foolish knight.” Ryan stepped back and beckoned Gavin to rise. When the knight did so Ryan unbuckled one of the two swords dangling from his hip and held it out. Gavin kept his gaze down as he slowly took the sword from the King. He balanced the sheath in his hands between grasping the hilt and partially drawing the sword from the sheath. He caught his own gaze in the reflection of the blade and saw tired eyes staring back.

“My gift to you, young knight. I hope you enjoy it. The blade was crafted with the finest diamonds in the land and the hilt was my own idea.”

Gavin slid the sword back in the sheath and let go to gaze at the hilt. It was different than the hilt of the diamond sword in the maze. It was made of a lighter substance, but the color was not so pure white. “My liege?”

Ryan grinned and lifted Gavin’s chin up, to look him in the eyes. “Crafted from the horns of Edgar, of course. There is no better material than bull horn.”  He dropped his hand from Gavin’s chin and turned around, his back to the knight.

Gavin twisted the sword around to look at the hilt. He lowered the sword and looked past the Mad King to his friends, the other knights. Other than Geoff, everybody else was unhurt, but even Geoff would recover. Gavin nodded to the solemn group of knights. He fully unsheathed the sword.

“My king?”

Ryan did not turn around but simply waved his hand in recognition, “Yes?”

“What happened to Kerry?”

Ryan laughed deeply, “Young knight, you truly are foolish.” He ran his hand through his hair. When he turned his other hand was already reaching for his sword but Gavin was there, a sword pointed at the Mad King’s chest before his hand had even touched the hilt.

“My king, you truly are mad.”

He drove the sword in.

 -

“My king.” The knight bowed low to the floor, the hood of his bear cloak falling forward over his head. The knight straightened and pushed the hood back.

“Hello, Michael. You have good news for me, I hope?” Gavin swung his leg over from the arm of the throne and leaned forward.

“Yes, my king. All preparations are over.”

A large grin stretched across the Fool King’s face. “Top.” He stood from the throne, shedding the heavy creeper skin cloak. He skipped down the stairs and placed a hand on the knight’s shoulder. “I am in your debt, my friend. Now take me.”

Michael led Gavin down to the basement of the castle, and after the last step was scaled Gavin found his other knights guarding a heavy oak door.

“My friends, you have done me well and you will be rewarded when this is done with. Now, open the door.”

The group of nights nodded and did as they were told. The sounds that were uttered when the doors were opened brought back memories the king was not so fond of. Jack handed Gavin a torch and stepped back in line with the other knights.

“I have prepared all holding within the room, my lord. You will have naught to worry about.” Jack spoke.

“Thank you, Jack, I have complete faith in you.” Gavin held the torch in front of him as he ventured through the doorway. The stench in the room was awful and although Gavin had a weak stomach he swallowed it down, knowing he had been through much worse. There was a cell in the center of the room, where many moans echoed. “Ray, the keys.”

The Knight of Roses was there in an instant, pressing a set of keys into the King’s hand.

Gavin opened the door to the cell and used the torch to light two lanterns on each side of the entrance.

“Hopefully, you may one day forgive me for my actions, Ryan. However, you need to atone for your sins.”

Ray took a step toward Gavin, bowing slightly, “My king, it has not been easy but I have managed to keep him alive. My magic can only do so much for any future transgressions though.”

Gavin nodded, “I understand. Thank you. Leave me now.” He waited until his knights were gone till he turned his attention back to Ryan. Gavin stepped toward the man chained to the wall. “My men have done well with you. Unfortunately, I do not have the artistic view or ability that you did, but I give myself points for trying and creativity.” He grabbed the horns hammered into Ryan’s skull and shoved them back, causing the man to cry out and look up to the new king.

“Please…”

Gavin released the horns, “Did you stop when Kerry begged?” He grabbed them again, forcing them back, slamming Ryan’s head back into the wall.

Ryan sagged forward, the only thing keeping him up being the chains across his chest and waist that lashed him to the wall.

“Oh, look at these poor chafe marks.” Gavin lamented, letting go of the horns and stepping back. “I wish I could have given you more freedom with chains around your wrists and ankles, but you must understand how hard it is to chain a man with no hands or feet.” He picked up Ryan’s arm and trailed his fingers down the skin, caressing the slowly healing scar on the stumped wrist. “It’s awfully hard to function without digits isn’t it? I can’t imagine how Kerry must have felt.”

Gavin dropped the arm in disgust and backed up to the doorway of the cell.

“You don’t understand…it wasn’t me, it’s that crown. You must have felt it, Gavin. You must have.”

Gavin pulled the crown off of his head and brought it down to gaze at it. He rolled the expertly crafted piece between his hands before placing it back atop his head. He smiled at his prisoner while locking the cell, “I’m flattered, Ryan, but I’ll never be as mad as you.”

Gavin twirled the ring of keys around his finger as he scaled the steps of the castle. Even from behind those heavy oak doors he could hear the mad man howl. The Fool King grinned.

 


End file.
